News Digest — 7/15/25
IDF Releases The Names Of Three Fallen Soldiers In Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces On Tuesday (15th) released the names of three soldiers killed in combat. They are Staff Sgt. Shoham Menahem, 21, from Yardena; Sgt. Shlomo Yakir Shrem, 20, from Efrat; and Sgt. Yuliy Faktor, 19, from Rishon Etzion. All served in the 52nd Armored Corps Battalion, 401st Brigade..
All fell fighting in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
“The entire nation of Israel mourns the loss of the heroic armored fighters,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, eulogizing the three soldiers.
“Our heroic soldiers fought with endless determination for the defeat of the Hamas murderers and the return of our hostages, and their sacrifice for the security of Israel will be remembered forever. May their memory be blessed and treasured in the hearts of the nation,” the prime minister said.
The IDF is continuing to press ahead with ground operations across Gaza as part of the “Operation “Gideon’s Chariots” campaign to dismantle Hamas’ remaining military capabilities, take control of key areas in the Strip and secure the release of the 50 captives.
IDF Strikes Syrian Tanks Which Crossed The Border
The IDF on Monday afternoon (14th) confirmed IAF strikes on several Syrian tanks in the area between A-Sijin and Samia in southern Syria.
A security source reported that the strike targeted several Syrian tanks that had crossed the border into an area defined by Israel as a buffer zone near the Golan Heights.
The IDF added, “A short while ago, the IDF struck a number of tanks in southern Syria, details to follow.”
Meanwhile, fierce clashes erupted Sunday (13th) between Bedouin tribes and local fighters in the southern Syrian city of Sweida, a predominately Druze area, resulting in the deaths of at least 37 people.
The violence, which marks the first deadly outbreak in the region since April and May, prompted authorities to dispatch forces to de-escalate the situation.
A Syrian government source, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed to AFP that forces were being sent to the area to help de-escalate the situation.
The fighting centers around the towns of al-Makaus, al-Tira, al-Mazra’a, and al-Soura al-Qabira, where live fire, mortars, and heavy weaponry have been reported. Local sources said that armed Bedouin set up roadblocks and detained Druze civilians. Due to the threats and artillery fire, some of the residents have fled their homes.
The Israeli strike against the tanks likely aimed to prevent Syrian regime reinforcements from targeting the Druze.
Israel, which regularly acts against Hezbollah and pro-Iranian elements in southern Syria, in recent months warned the Syrian regime not to breach the red lines near the border.
Reports also indicate that in recent weeks, medical assistance has been provided to injured Druze, and that there has been civil engagement with religious leaders from the area.
Battalion Commander In Gaza: ‘The Soldiers Are Ready To Sacrifice Everything For Victory’
In a frontline interview with Israel National News, the Commander of IDF Battalion 420 shared insights into the ongoing military campaign in Gaza, speaking from the Beit Hanoun area. He addressed the broader question of whether the IDF is on the path to a decisive victory.
“That’s a question for the army’s senior leadership,” said the commander. “Our job is to carry out the missions we’re given and to do them to the best of our ability. The soldiers here have left behind families, businesses, and studies. They are fully committed and ready to sacrifice everything to achieve victory. Serving here is extremely challenging.”
He emphasized the deep motivation that drives the soldiers. “Zionism, the will to win, and the understanding that no one else will do this for us — these are what keeps bringing people back. There’s a sense of duty that runs deep.”
Commenting on the strategic significance of their current position, he explained, “When the soldiers look out and see how close Beit Hanoun is to Ashkelon and Sderot, nothing more needs to be said. Before every operation, we remind them, every terrorist’s house we destroy in Gaza helps bring years of quiet to families in Sderot. That perspective shapes our strategy. Today, the army stands between the civilians and the terrorists, which wasn’t always the case in the past.”
The mission holds personal significance for him, who lived in the nearby Jewish settlement of Nitzanit before it was emptied in 2005. “Returnng to fight in an area where I once lived is deeply meaningful. It’s a great privilege,” he said.
Asked whether the battle for Beit Hanoun is nearing a conclusion, he responded, “There are still dozens of terrorists operating here, and we are actively engaging them. In recent weeks, we haven’t encountered a single civilian during our maneuvers. The terrorists mostly stay underground, and when they emerge, we eliminate them. Every night, we neutralize another tunnel and continue clearing the area.”
Sen. Cruz Bill Targets Muslim Brotherhood For Terror Designation
A new bill introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) seeks to formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a move that could financially cripple the global Islamic group. The “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025” takes a new “bottom-up” approach to overcome past legislative failures, focusing on the group’s violent branches worldwide, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The legislation, set to be introduced on Tuesday (15th), would direct the Secretary of State to “catalog Muslim Brotherhood branches that are designated as terror groups and designate additional ones that meet relevant criteria – and mandates the designation of the global Brotherhood for its support of those terrorist groups.” This method is modeled on the Trump administration’s successful 2017 efforts to sanction Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Previous attempts to designate the Muslim Brotherhood failed because not all of its branches were considered violent enough to meet the legal criteria. The new bill’s approach aims to create a legal framework to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign Terrorist Organization at large by targeting its violent affiliates first.
The bill has garnered support from several GOP senators, according to the Free Beacon, including from Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rick Scott (R-FL). It is also backed by pro-Israel and national security groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Christians United For Israel (CUFI). And FDD Action.
A source familiar with Cruz’s thinking said the bill was “deliberately and extensively workshopped so that it could become law.” The goal, the source added, is to get it “passed and implemented.”
Once the bill is formally filed, it is expected to gain broad support from majorities in both the House and Senate.
The Colorado attack suspect supported the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Brotherhood has already been designated a terrorist organization by several countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
This label was applied after the group’s members secured political positions in Egypt, where the organization was founded, before being toppled by the Egyptian military.
Vandals Deface Holocaust Memorial In Polish Jewish Cemetery With Anti-Israel Graffiti
Pro-Palestinian and Nazi graffiti were discovered Friday night (11th) on the ruins of a synagogue and Jewish cemetery in Dukla, Poland
Vandals attempted to spray the word “Palestine” alongside a swastika over a Holocaust memorial plaque located within the cemetery.
The Dukla Shetl Association, an organization dedicated to preserving the region’s Jewish heritage reported the incident to the local police.
“We are, as an Association that deals with the heritage of Dukiel Jews, but also, as citizens of Dukla, embarrassed by this hateful hooligan act,” Jacek Koszczan of the Dukla Shetl Association said.
The memorial was erected by the town’s residents as a symbol of the coexistence that was once present between Polish and Jewish communities prior to the Holocaust.
The association extended an invitation to the perpetrators to participate in historical and educational workshops designed to help them understand the gravity of their actions.
“We expect decisive action from law enforcement, and we hope that the vandals will face harsh consequences. What we can offer is an environment that deals with history and learning, educating those who committed this heinous act. We invite you to workshops, to read books, and to engage in discussions. Knowledge reduces fear and can be a way to dialogue, change in attitude, and greater openness,” the association said in a statement.”
A spokeswoman for the Podkarpackie region, where Dukla is located, condemned the act calling it unforgiveable.
The incident occurred just days after far-right MEP Grzegorz Braun referred to the Auschwitz gas chambers as “fake” and accused the Auschwitz Museum of promoting “pseudo history.”
Braun also claimed that “ritual murder is a fact,” alleging that Jews committed such crimes,echoing, anti-Semitic blood libel accusations.
In Poland, Holocaust denial is a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison.
“Poland stands at a crossroads and must confront this hatred immediately,” said Meir Bulka, chairman of J-herations.
“Last Thursday (10th) we saw history distorted as a Polish parliamentarian blatantly denied the Holocaust, receiving applause from a mob,”he added.
Ben Gurion Used More Religious References In Speeches Than Netanyahu, Study Finds
A new study found that Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion relied more heavily on religious and historical references in his wartime speeches than current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, challenging a common perception about the growing influence of religion in right-wing political discourse.
The study, conducted by Dr. Gila Amati and Shlomi Breznick of the Glazer Center at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), analyzed roughly 120 public speeches–33 delivered by Ben Gurion during Israel’s War of Independence (May 1946-July 1949) and 97 given by Netanyahu during the war in Gaza, including Operation Rising Lion (October 2023-June 2025).
The findings reveal that Ben-Gurion referenced biblical or rabbinic texts in 79% of his speeches, compared to 58% in Netanyahu’s. These ranged from short expressions such as “ingathering of exiles” and “eternity of Israel,” to longer biblical quotations.
Ben Gurion also mentioned the Holocaust in 27% of his wartime addresses, while Netanyahu did so in 22%. Speaking just a few years after the Holocaust, Ben-Gurion often invoked the six million Jews murdered, the Nazis and Adolf Hitler, to frame Israel’s existential struggle. While Netanyahu also draws on Holocaust imagery , the study shows he does so slightly less frequently.
When it comes to citing Jewish historical figures, Ben Gurion again led – returning to Moses, Joshua, Bar Kochba and the Hasmoneans in 42% of his speeches, compared to 24% in Netanyahu’s. References to key events in Jewish history, like the Exodus or the Spanish Expulsion, appeared in 57% of Ben Gurion’s wartime speeches versus just 12% in Netanyahu’s.
However, Netanyahu surpasses Ben-Gurion in invoking personal religious faith. Phrases such as “with God’s help” and “may God avenge their blood” appeared in 59% of Netanyahu’s speeches, nearly three times more than Ben-Gurion’s 21%. While Ben-Gurion preferred terms like “Tzur Yisrael,” he also occasionally used phrases like “in God’s image” or “the Holy One, blessed be He.”
The researchers concluded that, contrary to popular belief, Netanyahu’s wartime rhetoric is not more religious or Holocaust centered than Ben-Gurion’s, instead, they say, Netanyahu leans more on expressions of personal faith, while Ben-Gurion’s language was deeply rooted in Jewish history and scripture – despite being a secular socialist leader.
“Anyone can notice that Netanyahu frequently says ‘with God’s help.’ and some have assumed this is aimed at a more traditional audience,” Dr. Amati commented. “But our findings show that religious rhetoric has long been embedded in Israeli political discourse.”
Breznick noted that one challenge was parsing phrases with dual meanings: “Terms like ‘redemption’ or ‘ingathering of exiles’ can be interpreted as religious or secular. We used AI analysis and then manual review to classify them according to context and usage.”
